Manchester derby in FA Cup final
Published:Saturday | June 3, 2023 | 12:43 AM
LONDON, England (AP):
Manchester City and Manchester United meet in a FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium today with a lot riding on it.
City are looking to complete the second leg of a potential treble of trophies, having already won the English Premier League and reached the final of the Champions League against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10. Only one team has won all of those trophies in one season, Man United in 1999.
As well as preserving that unique achievement, Man United are bidding to win a second domestic trophy this season, having captured the League Cup in February.
The spotlight will be on Manchester City’s Erling Haaland who has scored more than 50 goals in all competitions this season for Man City, including three in the FA Cup. Man United will be hoping that the experienced defensive midfelder, Brazilian Casemiro, will be at his best today today to stop Haaland.
Man United are seeking their 13th FA Cup title while Man City are hunting their seventh.
MESSI
Meanwhile in France, Lionel Messi bids farewell to Paris Saint-Germain after two seasons in the capital that have left a taste of unfinished business. Messi was brought to PSG to help the club win the Champions League. Instead, PSG bowed out in the last 16 in both seasons with the World Cup winner in the squad.
Messi’s numbers with PSG, however, are not too bad ahead of Saturday’s final match of Ligue 1 against Clermont at the Parc des Princes: 32 goals in 74 games, according to league statistics. Messi, the top provider in the league this season with 16 assists, has been regularly whistled and booed by PSG ultras in recent weeks and club officials hope it won’t happen again for his finale. PSG were crowned champions for a record 11th time last weekend, ahead of Lens and Marseille.
With the top-three spots settled, focus will be on Lille, Rennes and Monaco, who are battling for the two remaining European places. Also, eight-time champion Nantes hosts last-placed Angers and hoping to avoid relegation. Nantes is in a two-way fight with Auxerre to determine who go down alongside already-relegated Troyes, Ajaccio and Angers.